Headlights in Poland: Lights On All Day, Fog and Tunnels
Short answer: Yes. Article 51 of the Road Traffic Act requires dipped headlights in normal conditions all year; daytime running lights are allowed from dawn to dusk. Fog and tunnels need dipped lights.
Many drivers new to Poland are surprised to see cars with lights on in bright daylight. It is not a habit, it is the law. This guide sets out what Article 51 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym) requires, based on Polish Police explanations of the rule. Facts are as of 15 October 2026. The police pages we used are undated or older, so check the current text of the act and the current fine tariff before relying on any detail.
The basic rule: lights on all day, all year
Article 51 paragraph 1 says a driver must use dipped headlights (światła mijania) when driving in conditions of normal air clarity. Polish Police regional pages explain this as an obligation that applies around the clock, throughout the year. In the past, the rule only applied in winter months and at night. The Pomorska Police page from April 2007 says that from 17 April 2007 the obligation covers the whole day and the whole year.
There is one exception. Under paragraph 2, from dawn to dusk in conditions of normal air clarity, a driver may use daytime running lights (światła do jazdy dziennej) instead of dipped headlights.
* Photos: "2022 Warszawa tunel pod Ursynowem, 1" and "Nissan Ariya, headlights (low beam), 2022", Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
When visibility is poor
The police explain that when air clarity is reduced by fog or precipitation, the driver must switch on dipped headlights, or front fog lights, or both at the same time. When towing another vehicle, dipped headlights must be on even when visibility is good.
Tunnels
Dipped headlights are also required in tunnels, according to the Article 51 summary published by the Piotrków Trybunalski police. This applies in the Warsaw road tunnels and other tunnels across the country.
High beams
Paragraph 3 allows full-beam headlights from dusk to dawn on unlit roads, instead of dipped headlights or together with them, as long as you do not dazzle other drivers or pedestrians walking in a column. You must switch back to dipped headlights when:
- a vehicle approaches from the opposite direction. If one driver turns off the high beams, the other must do the same;
- you approach a vehicle ahead, if its driver could be dazzled;
- you approach a rail vehicle or a water vessel close enough that the driver could be dazzled.
Vehicles without these lights
The rules in paragraphs 1 to 3 do not apply to a vehicle that is not fitted with dipped, main-beam or daytime running lights. Such a vehicle must use the lights that are its mandatory equipment between dusk and dawn and in a tunnel.
Standing still
The police text on Article 51 says the lighting rules apply accordingly when stopping in traffic. If a stop lasts more than one minute, the driver may switch off the exterior lights provided other vehicles are standing in the same lane in front of or behind the vehicle. Do not read this as permission to turn lights off at a parking space or at the roadside.
Fines
Police pages from 2007 mention a fine of 20 to 500 zł at the officer's discretion for driving without lights during the day, and a page from 2005 gives a tariff for an earlier version of the rule. The tariffs have probably changed since then, and the 2005 text described a different rule. We could not confirm the current amount from an official current source, so check the current tariff with the police before quoting a figure.
Practical tips
1. Use dipped headlights in fog, rain and at dusk rather than relying on daytime running lights alone. 2. If you import or rent a car from a country where daytime lights are not required, switch them on manually. 3. Check that bulbs work. The police text says dipped headlights should light the road at least 40 m ahead in good air clarity. 4. In a tunnel, dipped headlights must be on.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to drive with headlights on during the day in Poland?
Yes. Article 51 requires dipped headlights in normal conditions. From dawn to dusk, daytime running lights may be used instead.
Are daytime running lights enough in fog?
No. The police say that in reduced visibility from fog or precipitation you must use dipped headlights, front fog lights, or both.
Do I need lights on in a tunnel?
Yes, dipped headlights are required in tunnels according to the police summary of Article 51.
What is the fine for driving without lights?
We could not confirm a current amount from an official source. Older police pages give different figures from different years, so ask the police or check the current tariff.
